Offices and Orchards (A New Adult Sweet Romance)

Chapter 23

"We've gotta get lunch today." Amber poked her head into Autumn's cubicle.
"Sure, only if you don't mind having a Brazilian model join us,"
"Of course not, I love Adriana. Anyway, she's not a model."
"Well fine, but she used to be one, and she still looks like one." The two friends had resolved everything since their clash at the Canadian thanksgiving party and the brunette came further into Autumn's cubicle, looking amazing in a new bodycon dress. "I see you and Gould going strong." Autumn gave Amber a look and she just struck a pose to better show off the clothes. "You know, I still have to thank McIntosh for introducing us. He's really a great guy, even with all his Southern roots. His mother thinks she's the only real southern Belle left on the planet. Spent an entire day telling me how to be a lady."
"Tell me more later, I've gotta get some work done before lunch,"
Even though there were only a few weeks until the wedding, Adrianna and Autumn, despite the small age difference had spent a lot of time together and had become fast friends. They'd had a few drinks dates, lunches, a spa date and Amber had indoctrinated Adriana into crossfit. Turns out, Adriana was really into fitness and loved the challenge of a new type of exercise. As a former gymnast, because of course she was, it came naturally to her. Nonetheless, the three of them had become a little trio.
Having a group of female friends was a fabulous change in Autumn's life, but having one of those friends be Adriana Da Silva took everything up a notch. The former model turned newsreader got all kinds of attention wherever she went, but was really sweet, sensitive, down-to-earth, self-deprecating and fun and did not pay attention to the ruckus she sometimes caused. She'd cried into the phone when Autumn had called to check in on her one day, just because Autumn had asked how she was doing.
"I sent the car," she texted as Autumn was leaving the building to meet her for lunch. The driver was holding the door open, and Amber had already made herself comfortable in the back, phone up to her ear as the spoke to someone on the other line. "Need to work?" Autumn asked as she slid into the car. Amber shook her head, hanging up her phone with a jab at the screen. "Just got a contract with this startup in New York." She sighed.
"It's so hard being you."
"You have no idea." Suddenly the girl perked up, "Guess what? Gould and I will be at the wedding, by the way. Apparently Staffordshire and Bran's father are a bit buddy-buddy," Autumn smiled, it would be nice for her to have her friends there. "Adriana wanted me to come too of course."
"I need to go shopping. Harvey said that I need more than one dress. Adriana is panicking that I'm not going to pick the right one, or something,"
"Here, check mine out," Amber held up her phone to show picture of her wearing an asymmetrical emerald green jewel-toned gown outside a fitting room. "Let's just say it suits me," meaning that she thought it looked amazing on her - she wasn't wrong, but boy did this girl gave confidence to the moon and back. "That is beautiful," Autumn sighed, "Brandon about had a fit when he saw me in it." Autumn smiled to herself, since she knew what that felt like; her boyfriend had also loved how she looked in her dress.
The restaurant they pulled up to was a casual family friendly restaurant. Upon walking in, Amber spotted Adriana sitting in a booth, already settled in with her wedding book spread out in front of her. "What are you thinking about changing now?" Autumn asked, picking up a picture of an elaborate floral arrangement. "You don't think adding pink roses and peonies will be too much for the bouquet?"
"I think that everything you've chosen already is perfect," Autumn reassured her, "If you change your mind now, you'll regret it." Amber nodded in agreement as she pulled a menu in close. "You can't change it."
"Okay, okay," Adriana exhaled deeply, "I'm just so worried I've made the wrong choice."
The wedding was approaching fast, and in just a few days, the international guests would start to arrive. Adriana had already threatened menu changes, and worst of all, thrown a fit over her one of a kind gown. "Just breathe a little bit. You're going to be stunning. You're Adriana Da Silva, you could wear a paper bag and make it couture."
"Not wrong," Adriana sniffed, her lips turning up "Last month I literally wore a paper bag dress for work."
When their food came, Autumn bit happily into her caprese sandwich, and listened to Adriana until it seemed that her mind had wandered away from her self-created dramas about the wedding. An email from Derek Chan popped up, interrupting her lunch: she sighed, "Hey you guys, I've gotta get back now." Since it was monthly reporting time, Autumn and Harvey were swamped and as usual, had no time for each other at work. The deadlines for the reporting were strict and each delay caused major interruptions to others.
Harvey was even starting to look a bit run-down: as the best man, William was making demands on his time as well and it felt like they hadn't been up to the orchard in ages. Autumn realised how much she was missing being up at the orchard, in the outdoors, breathing fresh, country air, and pulling fresh fruit off of tree after tree.
The wedding would be a nice little vacation, both hoped: they had booked a week off following the celebrations, to stay on the island. Only a few more days until they were wine-tasting, riding bikes along the little roads and walking along the beach. "Autumn," she heard a whispered voice, making her look up from her screen, "dinner tonight?" Harvey asked quietly. "No chance, McIntosh," Amber interjected, glaring over the top of her cubicle "She's ours tonight, maybe you can have her tomorrow." Amber wanted to try out a spin class that evening, and Adriana wanted them to have dinner afterwards. "Shhhhhh," Autumn held her finger to her lips. At Harvey's request, they still had not made their relationship public at work, although some people knew because of the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. Autumn didn't mind, in fact, she was quite agreeable to keeping things on the downlow.
"What's the big deal?"
"It's been such a short time, I just don't want people in my business. I don't want my personal life interfering with my professional life either. Especially not until Australia is announced," she had replied.
"I'm going to spin class, then dinner and if I'm not too late, maybe you could pick me up and we can hang out a bit?" She asked Harvey as she looked back and forth between them. Harvey and Amber seemed to study each other for a moment before they both nodded. When they left, she focused her attention back on her work, a smile on her face. She had a man who liked her and whom she liked, friends she loved and a blossoming career that she was enjoying. I'm living my perfect life! If only it was summertime. Or.., do I really feel that? No, she realised. No, she didn't. Indeed she was quite content with fall. It was nice. Especially the fresh, crisp air and tranquility of an apple orchard.
Work spilled over an hour later than she expected, but that was par for the course. In any case, she could tell that she was getting better at her job, the work did not take nearly as long as it used to. Her finger pressed the power button on her computer before she gathered up her coat andbag. Amber was waiting down in the lobby, preoccupied on her phone. It was clear she was talking to Brandon Gould, her smile making her face look softer than normal. Amber hung up when Autumn came by. "That took you long enough," she followed behind Autumn, pulling her coat around her more tightly, "Did Adriana say she still wanted to have dinner?"
"Just drinks. We missed spin, didn't we?"
Amber nodded, "Yeah, but it's not that big of a deal. We can go another time."
They settled in at a little bar, ordering their drinks before Adriana arrived. She shrugged out of her coat before turning to them excitedly. "Sorry, I just got to see William for a minute. Martini please," she said to the server, "anyway, I need to know what you're wearing Autumn."
"I'll tell you as soon as I know," she laughed. Autumn spent an hour with them before she excused herself. She was more tired than she'd thought and the drinks that she consumed made her want to fall asleep in the booth. Harvey showed up quickly as he himself had still been at the office, she hopped into his car and headed back to Autumn's.
"Adriana seems really excited. And it's so nice that you guys have become friends," Harvey said as they cruised down the road.
"It is and she is. William seems like a great match for her. A good match for each other I should say, Adriana does appreciate a luxurious lifestyle,"
"Yeah...I" Harvey answered, looking as if he had more to say on the subject, but holding his tongue.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm just kind of tired," he gave her a soft smile.
"Me too," Autumn yawned, her eyelids heavy. "Shall we go up and just laze on the couch for a bit?"
"Can't argue with that," They cuddled up together on the couch in front of the TV once they got to her apartment. "Autumn?"
"Hmmm?"
"You know I really like you right?"
"Of course."
"Good." If she had not been so exhausted and slightly buzzed, she would have pressed him to tell her what was wrong. It was again as if he was trying to tell her something but as it was, she was already drifting off. In fact, they both did. When he woke up, Autumn was lying on the other side of the couch, her chest rising and falling slowly. He gazed down at her and a smile slipped onto his face as he thought about scooping her up inside of his arms so he could carry her to bed. Knowing that would wake her, he opted instead to cover her with the blanket. He pushed a lock of brown hair from her face and bent down to give her a kiss on the forehead. I'll tell her soon, he thought, I have to.